Twinmom, last year the great pumpkin left "Its the great pumkin charlie brown" DVD at our house. My show is really cute and linus sits in the pumpkin patch all night waiting for the great pumpkin to show and doesn't. And he obviously doesn't show because linus doesn't have food allergies. Okay I made that last part up, but the show works with the great pumpkin as the allergy mascot anyways.

We actually already have the video, so they are already familiar with the story. So all I had to say was, "Guess what? I finally figured out why Linus never got to see the Great Pumpkin! Another mom on my allergy forum told me that he ONLY COMES TO ALLERGIC KIDS! And if we put your dangerous candies on the doorstep on Halloween night, he'll replace it with something safe."
They are totally excited, and highly suspicious ("Mom the Great Pumpkin is just like the Tooth Fairy, it's just you, right?"). But when we were in ToysRUs the other day, one turned to the other and asked hopefully, "Do you think the Great Pumpkin brings Star Wars action figures?" I'm pretty sure he does. Thanks again, for the great idea saskmommyof2.

_________________1 son allergic to eggs, peanuts, green peas, chick peas, lentils and tomatoes
(avoiding tree nuts and most other legumes too)
1 son allergic to eggs, and has outgrown peanuts
Both with many environmental allergies, asthma and eczema

We've also had visits from The Great Pumpkin for a few years - and the GP also gave the DVD to my guys a few years ago. I have to say, I actually get a huge kick out of it. It's fun finding stuff that isn't candy to give.

I dread halloween!! We ended up in ER last year from an accidental exposure... I did find something really exciting this year to hand out though! Toys 'R Us has playdough in tiny little tubs just for halloween! I bought about 4 bags of the stuff. There are 20 little tubs in each bag and they cost $3.99/ each. Cheaper than candy and SO COOL! Again though, this won't do for anyone allergic to wheat.

This is my favorite Super Gross Halloween meal: It is fiddley, but very effective

Get hot dogs - whatever ones work for you
Cut each one lengthwise into six or eight pieces, so they are long and skinny
Score the inside of each piece with a knife about every inch (this will help them to curl)
Put them in boiling water

Because they are so long and skinny and they are scored on the inside, they curl up and they look just like a big pot of worms!

I get long, curly pasta from the Italian grocery store - it is about 8 inches long and looks like ringlets - cook these up and throw whatever sauce works for you and call it something gross eg intestines with stomache juice (cheese sauce), blood (tomato sauce), brainy bits (meat sauce).

Another favorite receipe of ours for Halloween is the ends of hot dogs (about 2 inches) wrapped in weiner wraps and served in ketchup (severed toes with blood).

When my sister and i trick-ortreated, when we got home, we would dump out our bags into seperate piles. and sort through our stash with our parents. If there was something i was allergic too, i would trade it with my sister for something that i could eat. it worked really well and we learned to share!

The Goodies
The best part about Halloween! But before your children begin to eat their loot, make sure you examine it first. Throw out any treats that are not wrapped, those in torn or loose packages, or any that have small holes in the wrappers. Check toys or novelty items for small parts and do not allow children under three years to play with them.

You might want to offer an alternative to sugar-based treats. Gum should be sugarless. Stickers, multicoloured pencils or beads can be a nice surprise in place or in addition to traditional treats. Ask your children what they think a good treat would be.

Another favorite receipe of ours for Halloween is the ends of hot dogs (about 2 inches) wrapped in weiner wraps and served in ketchup (severed toes with blood).

Pamela, I am laughing out loud. That sounds just like the Calvin & Hobbes cartoon where his mom serves him "boiled monkey brains" to try to get him to eat (and it works - but of course nauseates the dad - the poor mom can't win).

Even the Government of Canada suggests alternatives to sugar treats! There is a link to the Canadian Diabetes Association where one can go to get even more information related to diabetes and Halloween, maybe we should get something on there related to food alergies?

Susan - that's a great idea. Why don't you send them an email and see what happens? If you want to write it on behalf of the OASG (and use our letterhead - email me for it) that would be fine with me. You could mention the AL forum as well, obviously (it just doesn't have letterhead!)

My youngest, who's just turned 6, already has his Hallowe'en evening planned out, it seems. Tonight he announced that he and his brother would go around and get candy, come back to the house, take out all the unsafe stuff, and give it back to other trick-or-treaters... So he's clear about what's going to happen! I haven't mentioned it once this year, I don't think! Funny what they remember, eh?

And of course I'm sure the Great Pumpkin will pay a visit - THAT I have mentioned...

And we will let them trade candy for candy - or maybe let them choose a combo of candy and money. I think they would like money better, frankly!

Have your boys ever dressed up as Epi-Men for Halloween? I can just see them trying to explain to people what their costumes represent...So cute

_________________15 year old - asthmatic, allergic to cats, dogs, horses, waiting to be "officially" diagnosed for anaphylaxis
12 year old - asthmatic, allergic to tree pollen and mold, OAS
Husband - Allergic to amoxycillin
Self - Allergic to housework only

As for explaining... in our neighbourhood it's kind of crazy, so I don't think too many people are that interested in the details of anyone's costume. But he did dress up today for his kindergarten class. I went in and read a Hallowe'en story to the kids, and we talked about how to stay safe on Hallowe'en, including how allergic kids have to sometimes not eat the candy that they get. It was fun.

Hi All,
I buy some of that junky candy (rotating lollipops, plastic trash can full of candy) that's ridiculously overpriced but enticing enough. I trade my son for those and some small dollar store toys.

all of the unsafe candy goes to work with dh.

I've also heard of parents who will give a penny, nickle, dime etc for each unsafe piece. Then they can buy what they want and it turns into a little bit of a game.

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